Macau - History

China is responsible for two Special Administrative Regions, Hong Kong and Macau. . Europeans first began to arrive in Macau in the 16th century. The Portuguese were able to rid the area of troublesome pirates and as a result of this, they were granted land to establish a tiny enclave. As trade with China began to spread, Macau quickly became an important meeting point between China and the West. The Portuguese maintained control over Macau for longer than they did with either Goa or Brazil. However, during the 1970s when Portugal experienced a leftist military coup, the new regime decided that any remaining colonial territory should be made independent, granting Macau “Special Territory” status in 1976.

In 1985 discussions with China began to transfer sovereignty to the People’s Republic. A settlement was ratified in January 1988 and the handover happened in 1999. Today, like Hong Kong, Macau is a popular tourist destination. This is in part due to the Vegas-style casinos that help to fuel the economy as casinos are illegal everywhere else in China. There is much more to experience in Macau that just casinos. Thanks to its many historical attractions, UNESCO recognised it as the “Historic Centre of Macau”, adding it to the World Heritage List in 2005.

Macau Travel Information

At Goway we believe that a well-informed traveller is a safer traveller. With this in mind, we have compiled an easy to navigate travel information section dedicated to Macau.